SONG OF THE WEEK: THE LOWEST PAIR, 'OH SUSANNA'

Very rarely do two people, separated by mountains, rivers and 1,600 miles, get to share something so utterly touching -- it's as if they've never parted. Enter the Lowest Pair, a banjo driven duo fronted by Kendl Winter and Palmer T. Lee.

The group's latest single, "Oh Susanna" is a modern twist on the old time classic (written by Stephen Foster). Although it barely resembles the original, the Lowest Pair's version is rooted in deep Southern charm and an intense feeling of longing.

"When I wrote our version of 'Oh Susanna' I was driving south on the I-5 corridor between Seattle to Olympia. I had performed solo in the city and was happy about the performance but was feeling lonely in the experience. I think overall I was just in a lonesome space, working alone, sleeping alone, being alone for the first time in years," singer Winter tells The Sitch.

She and Lee's banjos intertwine with ease, emoting softer than the instruments usually do. Despite their resonance and volume, the twin tracks allow Winter's Nicks-esque vocals to cut through the mix with devastating effect.

"I started singing that old tune to myself and then all of the sudden it was different and I just let it swirl around in my head down the highway. I got home and wrote it down and when I took the train out to the Midwest to visit Palmer in Minneapolis I played it for him. It was really natural for us to arrange the double banjo backing and harmonies to it. Some songs are like that … they just fall into place simply."